Replace the battery, even replace a dead hard drive in your player.

The resident genius at the local Apple Store will tell you in no uncertain terms that the iPod contains no user-serviceable parts. Said genius is speaking the truth, but that doesn't mean you can't service your iPod.

Before we tell you how on today's show, I need to warn you: Opening your iPod will void its warranty. If your iPod is under warranty, you'd be crazy to open it. Indeed, the only good time to open your iPod is when you're sure it's deader than a doornail and no troubleshooting techniques (such as those outlined in my book, "Secrets of the iPod") will revive it.

The only really good reasons to open an iPod is to replace its battery or salvage its hard drive.

Replace the battery
Your iPod has a lithium-ion polymer battery. Like all things in this world, it eventually wears out. (You know the battery is dead when the iPod works perfectly well when plugged into a power source but won't hold a charge when it isn't connected to a power source.) You have two battery replacement options.



Currently PDASmart offers replacement batteries only for first- and second-generation iPods but for an additional $10 will replace the battery for you. Laptops For Less offers batteries for all generations of iPod but doesn't offer replacement service.

  • Replace the hard drive
    Let's say an iPod with a high-capacity hard drive bites the dust. You can salvage its hard drive by placing it in an iPod with a lower-capacity hard drive. For example, you can replace your first-generation iPod's 5GB hard drive with a 15GB drive from a third-generation iPod. There are two things you need to look at before you try to replace the drive.
    1. Size
      The two hard drives must have the same dimensions. The 10GB and 20GB drives in the current iPods are the same size as the 5GB and 10GB drives in the first-generation iPods. You can make the switch.

      The 20GB hard drive in the second-generation iPod is bigger than the drives in the original iPod. It won't fit in the case.

    2. Format
      Hard drives must be formatted to suit the particular iPod model. First- and second-generation iPods can't use the 2.1.x iPod software required by third-generation iPods. Likewise, a hard drive placed inside a third-generation iPod must be formatted with the iPod Software 2.1.x Updater.


    Use iPod with your Mac and PC

    You have a Mac at home and a PC at the office. If you want to jump platforms, here's what you can do.
    • Use the iPod Software Updater for Windows to convert an iPod for Mac to a WinPod, and vice versa.
    • Format the iPod on the Windows machine with the iPod Software Updater for Windows.


    Your Mac will readily recognize the FAT32 volume formatting of the iPod for Windows. When you plug the iPod into your Mac, it will behave almost exactly like an iPod for Macintosh.

    The catch: It will take iTunes longer to copy tunes, and you won't be able to boot your Mac from your iPod.

    Christopher Breen is a contributing editor for Macworld magazine, where he pens the popular Mac 911 tips and troubleshooting column. He's also author of "Secrets of the iPod."

    "Secrets of the iPod"