how to fix an ipod when itunes can't restore it

I've recently had to resurrect my ipod. Since Apple's support resources didn't cover how to fix it, I thought I'd share the solution here.

The problem: Fifth Generation (G5/5G/gen5) iPod Classic was caught in loop where it constantly restarted. The iPod would show the Apple logo, then briefly go dark, then try again, until the battery ran out.

How did it happen? No idea, I unplugged it - working - from my work PC, walked to my car and plugged in my iTrip only to discover it was in a loop. I couldn't get the loop to stop and it was basically sitting there frying itself - it got really hot. Before you ask, yes I tried a hard reset.

It was only when I got home that I could look up the instructions and get it into disk mode, which at least meant it stopped rebooting, cooled down and could be seen in the file system.

I tried letting the battery go completely dead. I tried recharging it to full before plugging it back in. I tried plugging it into different USB ports. I checked that iTunes was up to date (v9.0.3.15 on Windows 7). None of these solutions worked.

So why not restore it, being one of the five Rs? Because iTunes could detect the ipod and tell me it was stuffed:

...but then iTunes would crash:

At this point, you're on your own. It's pretty much what pisses me off about Apple support: they tell you one single solution method, with the assumption that single solution will always work for every one of the millions of customers they have. I call it faith-based support. At any rate, what Apple suggests hasn't worked.

I tried installing the ipod updater, even though it's outdated it supports my ipod so I figured it was worth a shot. Unfortunately it crashed immediately the same as itunes.

I put the ipod back into disk mode; ran the Windows error checking tool over the ipod (that's chkdsk, or Properties→Tools→Error-checking). The quick check found and fixed some errors (although I didn't dig into specifics, which I should have - but I was sleepy); while a full scan checking for bad sectors returned zero errors.

It still wouldn't boot.

So, finally, I formatted the drive via the Windows file explorer, setting it to FAT32. Remember this deletes all data off the ipod so don't do this if you don't have a backup).

Boom! Works again. iTunes starts happily and immediately offers to restore the ipod. Done, apart from the long slow sync putting all the music back on.

It's kind of frustrating that it literally only took seconds in the end, but Apple don't seem to suggest it anywhere. They just assume that restore will always work, despite the many many people reporting issues with Ipod Classics - it might even be linked with Windows 7, but who knows?

There are a couple of Apple discussion pages that mention third party sites about formatting drives, chkdsk etc but they tend to have alarmist messages on them like this:

Disclaimer: Apple does not necessarily endorse any suggestions, solutions, or third-party software products that may be mentioned in the topic below. Apple encourages you to first seek a solution at Apple Support. The following links are provided as is, with no guarantee of the effectiveness or reliability of the information. Apple does not guarantee that these links will be maintained or functional at any given time. Use the information below at your own discretion.

Apple - Support - Discussions - kipod: If Windows displays an iTunes.exe corrupt file/chkdsk message

...keep in mind, this is on Apple Support. "You're here, but don't trust what we say here, look up what we say here." That doesn't really make sense. If Apple say don't do it; they should just say so. If they do say you should do it, there should be a knowledge base article to link to.

I'm pretty sure there are no Apple Support pages that suggest formatting the ipod. If the five Rs don't work, you're stuck taking it to Apple for help. But if you have the iPod at the stage where it simply doesn't work, and you don't need any data off it, you may as well give it a shot.

Update: this has happened again a couple of times now. It appears that you can't safely eject an ipod from Windows XP 64bit (which is what my work machine runs). Apple don't release iTunes for XP64 so there's no itunes helper service; and you can't use the OS eject as that's what triggered my ipod's second crash. Most of the time it works if you just unplug it without ejecting anything, but at least sometimes that will pooch your 'pod. I haven't yet tried to install a hacked Windows 7/64 itunes installer, in fact I probably won't do that since it's not worth risking my work machine with hacked software.