So -- any suggestions?

Did you or the Apple guy try restoring it with the software updater?

Did you or the Apple guy try restoring it with the software updater?

Can't restore it if it won't power up, right? It isn't recognized when I attach it to my or FAQWife's PC. I tried a couple of different cables too.

Did anyone try the magic key combination that forces it into disk mode? Sometimes that will work even if it can't boot all the way into being a music player.

I'd expect the genius would have tried that, but you never know.

Jon,

you are sure the other cords are working? I got a bad power cord from Apple. Couldn't ever exchange it.

I'd expect the genius would have tried that, but you never know.

The genius plugged it in and did the basic menu-select pressdown. The apple screen didn't even show up. Are you saying that the "magic key combo" (care to share?) might work even if it seems otherwise completely dead?

you are sure the other cords are working?

Yes. I have my own iPod and the cord(s) work fine with it.

Do people sell iPod hard drives? It should be easy to replace the HD.

Of course, it'd suck to buy one and then have that not be the problem.

Right after menu-select if you switch to select-play/pause, it will skip trying to boot and only load the emergency disk mode from the flash. This works even if the hard disk is really messed up.

The full steps would be:

1) plug into power 2) slide the lock switch to locked, then unlocked (resets the touch-controllers on iPods that have touch buttons) 3) Press and hold select and menu for 5 seconds 4) Keep select down but let go of menu and press play/pause.

Can you hear the hard disk making noise at all when you try to reset it?

Can you hear the hard disk making noise at all when you try to reset it?

Thanks for those clear instructions, Rob, but no, it's DOA. I hear/feel no hard disk action at all.

That sucks, Jon. More than once I've had friends' ipods just die for no intelligible reason.

I'm a little frustrated, because after dropping twenty USD and waiting two and half weeks for a replacement ipod battery (granted, from ebay) and replacing it without problems, it's not maintaining battery reserve for more than a couple days. Before, when I replaced a battery on my other ipod mini, it lasted for at least a week on more use before needing to be recharged than this one. Very frustrating, especially since I'm going to travel some more.

Heh. So yesterday I brought my sad sad Powerbook to the Genius Bar, and the one guy was v. nice (though sadly, nsm helpful, but not really his fault). The other guy was kind of a jackass, but I gave him bonus points for not smacking the woman next to me, who didn't understand what her .Mac account was, why Mail wasn't working (she hadn't set it up), and what the difference between her Yahoo Mail and the Mail program.

Er, which is to say, when they gave up and were checking the computer in to send it to the mysteriously-named "Depot", they scanned some barcode, and went "Um, are you Robert? This computer has Robert's name?". Took me a minute to realize they meant Rob, and it must've been because I got it through him. Heh.

Thanks Rob! :)