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Lateralus · Sep 20, 2006, 11:02 PM

Well, finally got my new iPod 80GB Video today after what was an extremely dramatic ordeal with FedEx.

So, I hook the iPod up and yadda yadda iTunes begins transfering my Library to it. Up until about 800MBs, where it tells me that the disk cannot be written to. I have tried transfering both video and audio and it doesn't seem to make a difference.

I've restored it several times. I reformatted it for UNIX and then back to Mac OS Journaled in Disk Utility. I've Verified and Repaired it in Disk Utility (no reported issues). I've run TechTool Pro's disk tests on it. No reported issues in TT either but it's still only part way into the several hour long Surface Scan block test.

Apple Support is closed for the evening.

Anybody know what to do?

Lateralus · Sep 20, 2006, 11:07 PM

...and TechTool has now found one bad block thus far.

brokenjago · Sep 21, 2006, 12:24 AM

Smash it against a wall in frustration?

Ok, maybe not.

I'm sorry

chipchen · Sep 21, 2006, 12:38 AM

Try an iPod restore... if that's a no go, then you probably, unfortunately, got a DOA (dead on arrival). It's a small percentage, but it happens.

Lateralus · Sep 21, 2006, 12:57 AM

As I said, I've restored it several times. Nothing.

Even getting the iPod today was a hassle. It was supposed to have been delivered by 10:30, and I opted to be 45 minutes late for work so that I could be here until 10:30 to take delivery of it. When that didn't happen, I had to ask a neighbor to accept the package when it came. 5pm rolls around and I'm checking the order status from work only to see that FedEx didn't even attempt delivery and took the iPod back to the airport sort facility.

I called to find out why and I was told that it hadn't cleared customs for some reason so I couldn't even pick it up. I called back again and was told that my unit was the only one of a 500 unit shipment that had a customs clearance problem, that it was absolutely processed through customs and cleared for delivery, but that the customes clearance sticker fell off. And that if the driver had scanned the package she would have seen that it had been cleared for delivery, but she didn't even make an attempt. *AND* that if the first person I had talked to had bothered to care at all, she would have been able to find out the same thing the second person was telling me.

So after work I had to drive 10 miles out to the airport terminal to get the iPod, then struggle through traffic to get home with the thing only to find that I didn't have a USB 2 card, so transfering my Library over 1.1 was going to take days. So I tried running around town to see if I could find anybody who was still open after 9pm that was selling USB 2 PCI cards for anywhere near a decent price.

After barely making it in and out at Circuit City before close, I got a card and came home... Only to find that the iPod is defective...

*Sigh*

brokenjago · Sep 21, 2006, 02:09 AM

That sucks man. I feel your pain.

macgeek2005 · Sep 21, 2006, 02:13 AM

Wow... My chest physically hurt as I read your story. I am so sorry. It's times like that when I just want to get rid of all my technology and go to sleep to avoid the pain.

Lateralus · 11:42 AM

You know... If only I could have this kind of luck when lottery time rolls around.

So my unit was the only one of 500 that had a customs related delivery problem and now Apple is telling me that it's the most severely defective iPod they've had reported from the Video generation and they want me to talk to their upper level techs so they can start working on a new diagnostics procedure incase any more pop up.

Oh, and I gave up on TechTool Pro after it found its 305th bad block this morning, only around 10% of the way into the scan.

awcopus · Sep 21, 2006, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by Lateralus

As I said, I've restored it several times. Nothing.

Even getting the iPod today was a hassle. It was supposed to have been delivered by 10:30, and I opted to be 45 minutes late for work so that I could be here until 10:30 to take delivery of it. When that didn't happen, I had to ask a neighbor to accept the package when it came. 5pm rolls around and I'm checking the order status from work only to see that FedEx didn't even attempt delivery and took the iPod back to the airport sort facility.

I called to find out why and I was told that it hadn't cleared customs for some reason so I couldn't even pick it up. I called back again and was told that my unit was the only one of a 500 unit shipment that had a customs clearance problem, that it was absolutely processed through customs and cleared for delivery, but that the customes clearance sticker fell off. And that if the driver had scanned the package she would have seen that it had been cleared for delivery, but she didn't even make an attempt. *AND* that if the first person I had talked to had bothered to care at all, she would have been able to find out the same thing the second person was telling me.

So after work I had to drive 10 miles out to the airport terminal to get the iPod, then struggle through traffic to get home with the thing only to find that I didn't have a USB 2 card, so transfering my Library over 1.1 was going to take days. So I tried running around town to see if I could find anybody who was still open after 9pm that was selling USB 2 PCI cards for anywhere near a decent price.

After barely making it in and out at Circuit City before close, I got a card and came home... Only to find that the iPod is defective...

*Sigh*

*Sign* indeed.

It's okay, man. We've all been there.

Return it for a replacement. Do NOT go through Applecare. You obviously received a product DOA, which is the same thing as not receiving what you ordered.

Lateralus · Sep 21, 2006, 11:34 AM

Well, I did go through AppleCare unfortunately. And apparently you're only allowed *ONE* phone call. That's it. ONE!

You're right though. I basically didn't receive anything at all. I'm calling to complain.

Lateralus · 01:48 PM

OMFG!

My replacement iPod *FINALLY* arrived this morning and it is doing the exact... same... thing...!!!111

brassplayersrock² · Oct 2, 2006, 01:48 PM

is the serial number the same?

Lateralus · Oct 2, 2006, 02:02 PM

Nope.

Though, I have come across an interesting little bit; Attached to my USB 2 PCI card, the iPod will only transfer over enough Aqua Teen Hunger Force episodes to reach around 1.2GBs, regardless of what I do.

Thinking that the chance of receiving two defective iPods in a row with the same issue is extraordinarily unlikely, I figured the problem may be with my system.

So I hooked the iPod up to the onboard USB 1.1, and while stupidly slow at transfering, it has now transfered 2.46GBs worth of Aqua Teen without issue thus far...

icruise · 12:47 PM

So it sounds like it's an issue with the USB card and not the iPod itself. There was another person recently who had a similar problem. I wonder what the deal is.

Lateralus · Oct 2, 2006, 02:40 PM

What I don't get is why TechTool would be reporting bad blocks out the arse if the only issue was the USB card?

I tried all four of the ports on the card and they all give me the same issue. And the card is indeed Mac compatible. I got it from Circuit City, but it's the exact same thing as one of the cards OWC sells in their FireWire/USB section. So I'm guessing it's just plain defective.

Up to 5GBs of Aqua Teen now, BTW...

brassplayersrock² · Oct 2, 2006, 02:51 PM

whats the brand of the usb card? i'll make sure not to buy anything from them

Lateralus · Oct 2, 2006, 11:12 PM

This is the card.

And yes, it's apparently the card. I let the transfer keep going while I was away at work and now it's up to 35GBs.

brassplayersrock² · Oct 3, 2006, 10:50 AM

you need to get your money back for the card AND heh, have them buy you a brand new iPod

Brien · Oct 3, 2006, 12:35 PM

I've noticed that quite a few people (me included) have issues with iPod 5G syncing with third-party USB2 cards. :/

eddiecatflap · Oct 3, 2006, 12:46 PM

will a usb hub be ok , or should i attach it directly to my imac ?

i'm getting an 80 gig on Thursday , after playing with a 30 gig for a few days that my sister lent me

i'm going from a mk 1 nano and the BIG iPOD is UTTERLY INCREDIBLE !!!!

i put videos from eyetv on it and it plays amazingly well , VERY impressed

wipes the floor with my PSP in every way

Lateralus · Oct 3, 2006, 12:59 PM

Well, I think my iPod odyssey is over.

I took the USB card back to Circuit City for an exchange. It was a 5-port that I originally paid $19.99 for. They went to get my replacement; same model number, same packaging, but the price was $39.99 and the card was different looking. They spent a while wondering why there was such a difference in the price. Then they gave me grief because the one that I brought back had a bent up connector, which it had when I bought it. So I had to convince them that I didn't do it.

Anyways, the new one is hooked up and it's completing the last 10GBs of Library transfer as we speak.

So... yay?

brassplayersrock² · Oct 3, 2006, 01:06 PM

watch...the new <deleted due to contract breech> will be coming out soon

anyways, congrats on your win over this thing Lateralus

Alex

Tomchu · Oct 3, 2006, 01:08 PM

If buying 3rd-party USB 2.0 cards, always make sure that you're getting one with an NEC chipset. They're more expensive than the regular VIA-chipset stuff, but what you save on the cheaper card you lose on the time you waste tracking down problems like this.

Lateralus · Oct 3, 2006, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by brassplayersrock

watch...the new <deleted due to contract breech> will be coming out soon

anyways, congrats on your win over this thing Lateralus

Alex

Originally Posted by Tomchu

If buying 3rd-party USB 2.0 cards, always make sure that you're getting one with an NEC chipset. They're more expensive than the regular VIA-chipset stuff, but what you save on the cheaper card you lose on the time you waste tracking down problems like this.

Yeah, seconded.

There was once a time when I had a drawer full of USB 1.1 and 2.0 PCI cards. But as my fleet became more modern, I ended up slowly giving away all of those cards. But yeah, in my experience, even the most generic of cards are very Mac friendly so long as they have an NEC chipset.

The cards from Circuit City both had an NEC chipset, which is why I grabbed one in the first place. I guess the first one was just down right defective.