Re: How do you reset an iPod mini?
- From: dempson@xxxxxxxxxxxxx (David Empson)
- Date: Sat, 11 Apr 2009 10:53:41 +1200
dorayme <doraymeRidThis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
In article <1ixz335.szl7ceeojzwxN%dempson@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
dempson@xxxxxxxxxxxxx (David Empson) wrote:
dorayme <doraymeRidThis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I have an iPod mini 4GB. It was put into iTunes 8 on my Tiger via the
USB cable. I pressed Restore to factory and it briefly came up with a
file system but now says that to complete the process it needs to be
plugged into a charger. I have no charger for it. I already spent $20 on
USB cable for it. What to do?
If the battery is so flat that the iPod can't function correctly, you
need to charge it to a certain point, or it will shut down again when it
tries to spin up its hard drive. I had this problem with my iPod Photo
at one point.
In my case, I was able to solve it by plugging in to my mains charger
instead of the computer.
If you don't have a charger, you need some way to get the computer to
provide power to the iPod without trying to mount it. Try plugging in
the iPod then putting the computer to sleep, or logging out, and
plugging the iPod in while the computer is showing the login prompt.
At the moment, I have it connected to my USB port, it is mounted and it
is showing a flashing black circle with a bar diagonally across it, with
"Do not disconnect" underneath. In the top right hand of the little
screen it shows what I take to be a battery charging symbol, a rectangle
on its side and filling from nearly nothing to full in regular sequence.
I have no idea if it is really charging though or whether as it does so,
it will grow the left hand side black.
I haven't had a close look at a Mini, but I don't recall seeing a
"filling rectangle" like that on my iPod Photo.
When I have dismounted it by ejection on my computer screen in the past
at this stage, the iPod stops what it was doing (if anything besides the
impressive show described above) and shows a static image of a plug and
a wall mount (in other words, go and buy a charger, you miserable sod!)
Probably just saying "battery is too flat; please plug me in". Not
specifically asking for a mains adapter, but it would provide higher
current than a USB port.
USB devices plugged into a computer are normally supplied with 100 mA
until they are recognised as a connected device. As part of the
recognition protocol, the USB device can ask for more power, and the
computer can ramp up the current so it is supplying 500 mA.
If the iPod is in a state where it isn't even talking to the computer,
then it might only be getting 100 mA from the computer.
By comparison, the mains power adapter is able to supply 1A (1000 mA),
no questions asked.
Firewire is a better option than USB in this case. The Firewire port
supplies power at a higher voltage than USB, and its power output is
typically at least 8W (e.g. 500 mA at 16V) vs a maximum of 2.5W for USB
(500 mA at 5V, or only 0.5W if the current is limited to 100 mA).
Firewire therefore allows a compatible iPod to charge significantly
faster than USB, as long as the Firewire power output isn't shared
between multiple devices.
In any case, it is only a matter of the time to charge. If the iPod is
not showing signs of progress after a few hours, then its battery is
probably beyond the point of no return (e.g. due to age or overuse) and
needs to be replaced.
I have it on a Belkin USB 2 PCI card in a QS (just before the MDD). I
have not worked out the likely time it would take to charge this way.
But anything is worth not spending more money on it. (I did not really
want the thing in the first place, but seems a shame not to give it a
go).
I am not sure if you are knowing that a *mounted* iPod cannot charge?
If the iPod is mounted, then its hard drive is trying to spin up, which
consumes a lot more power than most other components in the iPod.
When I encountered a similar problem with my iPod, the mere act of
connecting it to the computer required spinning up the hard drive, and
the iPod turned itself off because the battery was too flat. The hard
drive spinning up drew more current than the flat battery could supply,
and the charging from the computer at the same time wasn't sufficient to
give it enough "surge" current. Every time the iPod's battery charged to
the point where it was able to start up, the computer tried to mount it
again, and the iPod turned itself off again. I was able to fix it by
using my mains adapter, which didn't try to mount the iPod, only
supplied power to it.
This should be less of a problem on a Mini due to it having a physically
smaller drive.
A mounted iPod would definitely be getting 500 mA from the USB port. I
don't know how much current the hard drive would consume when it spins
up, but it uses a lot less to keep spinning (and it woudn't need to do
that once it has mounted correctly, as long as you don't do anything
which accesses the iPod).
After unmounting, the iPod should still be recognised as being attached,
and should still be getting 500 mA from the computer.
Or are saying it would charge faster unmounted? Anyway, I note what you
say and if after several hours of this, I am not getting it going, I will
try your suggestion about logging out (but I suspect it will be unmoved
from telling me to go spend dough).
I'm guessing as to logging out - that was a suggestion in the hope that
an external storage device isn't mounted automatically while you are
logged out. I haven't tested this theory.
--
David Empson
dempson@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
.
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