Tips To Try When Your Ipod Acts Weird
January 7th, 2009

Become An Ipod Expert

The iPod is probably one of the handiest little inventions out there. It is so compact and portable you can take your music, pictures and videos almost anywhere. iPod is basically a small computer. In addition, as with all computers they all have their moments and can be very temperamental. At such times you may have to treat your iPod like a small computer when you encounter any sort of problems. When you are trying to troubleshoot a computer, you start with the simplest solution first. This is always the best way to approach any problem. The easiest way is to reset the iPod like your would reboot a computer. Most of the time, this will solve your problem and be the quickest and easiest solution. Thinking of the simplest solution and trying them first may save time down the road.

Of course just turning something on and off is not all ways the solution. Another problem that seems to arise with iPods is software. A lot of problems seem to be instigated by software that is not updated or may not be right for the model iPod you may have. Always double-check the software. To head off further problems in the future, always make sure you have the most recent updated revision of the type of software that you need. There may have been some bugs that were worked out and better features in the new software.

The hard drive is another thing that may need troubleshooting from time to time. One nice feature of the iPod is if there is a problem or errors, it will automatically begin to run a disk scan utility that is built in. On the screen, there will be a magnifying glass icon while this is in process. For the whole disk scan to run will take about 20 minutes. When it is done a different icon will appear on the screen indicating that everything should be in working order on your iPod's hard drive. If for some reason the disk scan process fails, don't panic. This does not mean that the hard drive is bad or not working, it just means the scan disk just did not work this time. But, it will run again the next time iPod is turned on. The good news is that it may be able to fix the problem then.

When the scan disk has found any problems, it will fix them automatically. However, when the scan disk has repaired the problem, you may need to restore your iPod with iPod software updater. Before you do this, you may want to backup any files that are on the iPod. Anything that is on the iPod will be lost. This updater software can be found on Apples website. The iPod will indicate with icons the scans results. If there are any icons you may not be familiar with the owner's manual will come in handy at this point for more assistance.

Battery problems can also be another issue that may make your iPod act weird. There are a few tips to try to get the most listening time out of one battery charge and to keep your iPod from acting weird.

Software should always be the most current version that is available to you. This is mentioned more at the beginning of this article, but cannot be stressed enough. Not having the right software can cause problems. You will also want use good headphones. This way you will not need the volume so loud, which can be a big drain on the battery. Also is not really good on your hearing. Avoid using the unnecessary settings like backlighting, the clock & alarm functions. Try to have them off. Use smaller song files so iPod does not work as hard playing songs.

Other ways to help your iPod function properly is to avoid using menu buttons as much as possible. This make the hard drive worked harder which is also a big drain on the battery. Always try and keep the hold switch on so if your iPod is accidentally bumped it will not play continuously until battery is dead. Also make sure repeat mode is off. For some reason your iPod won't mount on your computer or will not take a charge, the battery may need to be completely drained. To do this just do not use if for 24 hours and then try charging it.

If you use your iPod a lot and it is over 18 months old. There is a good chance the battery is probably dead. Contact Apple and they may replace it for $99. Otherwise, there are third parties that will sell new batteries, the tools you will need to put it in and the instructions on how to do this. If an icon of a power adaptor and a wall plug in appear on the screen the iPod needs to be plugged into a power outlet. This will usually happen after the iPod has been restored. The iPod needs to update its firmware. This may happen if the iPod has been plugged into a USB port or un-powered Fire Wire port.

After using the iPod for 10 minutes and the screen gets dark and the back gets hot, this is called "The Black Screen of Death" This cannot be fixed. This is considered defective and should be returned to Apple right away for a new one. Hopefully these few tips will keep your iPod from acting weird and running smoothly

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