[ASIMO]

It appears that my first generation iPod may have uttered its last note. Oddly, though, it was working just fine before I took off for "old Europe" (Rumsfeld) and the UK for almost a couple of weeks, yielding upwards of three or four hours before needing recharging. I left the sucker in the glove compartment and parked outside, completely forgetting the fact that I live in southern California.

Now it will not even boot up, and attempts at resetting fail. Is it a lost cause or maybe a $30 battery is the fix? Odd. I actually miss the little thing. I bought it the second day it was released, what, almost four years ago?

Thank you, folks.

[skalie]

Maybe an upgrade like this might work for you. Let us know if you get the 21 hours out of your iPod that this person did......

linky

Resurrecting my old 5GB iPod (Hi-Capacity 2100mAh battery swap)

Last week I posted a note from OWC on the new 2100mAh iPod battery for 1st and 2nd Generation iPods ($39.95 w/tool set and installation guide. If you order an iPod battery you can also get the NewerTech RoadTrip FM Transmitter device for only $9.99 by using coupon code 'HIGHROAD' when you checkout.)

I own a first model iPod (5GB) that I bought about 2 months after they were first introduced years ago that still had the original battery. After years of use and many charges, the OEM battery had about 4 hours of runtime in a test of continuous running (no button presses) instead of the 8-9 hours when it was new. (Runtime would typically be less in normal use changing settings, songs, etc. frequently, but the constant run test was used since it's easily duplicated for tests with the new battery.)

Installing the new battery was easy (took about 5 minutes or so) using the printed guide and tools included with the battery. (I had taken some pictures for posting a page on the install, but had forgotten you can just download OWC's install guide PDF doc for a complete guide w/photos.) After charging the 2100mAh battery overnight, I ran the same runtime test (no button presses) and the 2100mAh battery ran for 21 hours and 3 minutes. Quite an improvement and really added new life to this old iPod. I had considered trying to sell the iPod before but figured it wasn't worth anything with the original battery, but now I'm going to hang onto it for awhile. This was a great 'upgrade' for this iPod and the cost was well worth it - definitely the most bang for the buck I've seen. (And even if I do decide to sell it later the cost of the battery was money well spent.)

I'd basically given up on using my iPod 5GB before the swap due to the old/original battery - although it ran 4hrs on the continuous play test, in typical use it seemed shorter and within a few days of no use, the battery was dead usually. Frustrating. Now it's like having a new iPod again (only better, with amazing runtime).
This really is one of those rare products that has a huge price/perf. ratio for those of us with older iPods.

[GoGoReggieXPowars]

Does it still show up when you connect it to your computer? If so, then you most likely just need a new battery and a full wipe & restore of the hard drive. If it's not showing up, it might be dead.

I got a new 1600mAh battery for my 2nd Gen iPod, and it's working perfectly, and lasting longer than when I got it in Decemeber 2002.

[G4ME]

Eventually i will get that 2100mah batt for my old 5 gig and use it for my stereo system

[ASIMO]

Originally posted by GoGoReggieXPowars:
Does it still show up when you connect it to your computer? If so, then you most likely just need a new battery and a full wipe & restore of the hard drive. If it's not showing up, it might be dead.

I got a new 1600mAh battery for my 2nd Gen iPod, and it's working perfectly, and lasting longer than when I got it in Decemeber 2002.

I neglected to add that I did attempt to resuscitate it by connecting it to my Mac, and that it did not awake. I will try a local Apple store techie and might as well pick up a new one, too.

Thanks, all.

[G4ME]

be a gentleman and open her up, look and see if anything got fried, even though the temp in a car won't ignite anything you could have melted some solder just enough to cause some damage

[ASIMO]

Update, gentlemen:

It was the battery. Simply, utterly dead. I did not put the battery at the top of my list of suspects because my ipod did not even boot up when plugged into the AC or my Mac. I even took it to the Apple store here and the "geniuses" came to the same conclusion: that they didn't suspect it was the batter or only the battery. I almost rendered it a paperweight.

Well, fortunately for me, I borrowed a friend's second generation ipod which he used for two weeks and had since sat pristine on his shelf for more than a year and half. That is a year and half without a single recharge. So, I proceeded to recharge it and sync it with my Mac. A few hours later, I unplug and his ipod dies -- it did not hold charge. I ordered the replacement battery (à la skallie), installed it, and swapped the old battery with my ipod's. Lo and behold, resurrection! Well, as long as it is being charged. Paperweight no more.

Many thanks to all in this thread.