Zolved community solution
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iPod Sad Face
Let see if we can turn that frown upside down.
Before we start, remember that if your iPod is under warranty, you should get it fixed or replaced by Apple (according to reports, they replace them with little fuss).
| Disk Mode: If you can get the iPod into Disk Mode, you should be able to update/restore it (which will solve any software problem).
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| Does the iPod appear in iTunes? This is unlikely, but if it does show up in iTunes then you should restore the iPod.
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| Does the iPod appear in My Computer? Since Apple's programs can't do much, let try Windows. If you see the iPod under My Computer, we can format like any other hard drive (and remove it's iPodiness). Then we can try to restore it with the iPod updater.
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Comments
- Posted by: skorniakoff_1000 at 05 Jan 07:54 permalinkso what do you do when none of this works, this seems like a best case, which is never the case with a broken iPod. you really need to tell us the truth, not some apple bs. what types of hw problems does a sad face icon mean. that would be exteremely helpful. how do you diagnose the hw problems.
- Posted by: IMWondering at 04 Mar 18:37 permalinkHere's a blog on a last ditch effort: http://www.zolved.com/blog/view_entry/24129/My_iPod_is_Frozen_should_I_drop_it
But, I will say that we're dealing with hard disks here and when they do die they're just dead. You can replace the drive but I'd personally go for the new iPod - these are finite life devices not expected to last more than 3 or 4 years max.
- Posted by: Ray the Freak at 18 Apr 05:01 permalinkTried all this but nothing worked... Forget it.... I have come across this strange post and Holly Molly my iPod works again.. As my friend always says, "give it a lil tap" so i decided to drop it from my desk to the floor which is about 3 inches and woallah!!! it did the trick... guess that made the hard drive sit back on its place. I got the sad face icon again last week. so i tapped it a lil on all the sides and it was back to normal. It worked for me guys... do this at your own risk. I bet it will work
- Posted by: funky sowetan at 16 May 04:53 permalinkhi im kagiso and an owner of a 2 gigabyte silver nana ipod. my is that it doesn'y show on my computer and also i-tunes, it doesn't even show as a usb like its supposed to, so i'd like to know what to do to make it proprerly again.... it still plays though but also charges for long!
- Posted by: triton1978_1668 at 07 Jul 07:18 permalinkTried it. Worked great works fine now thanks for the info
- Posted by: baflores_7530 at 23 Jul 13:48 permalinkHey Thanks Ray, I just tap it and few time on the back and it is working great now. I have been struggling with my ipod for 2 days trying to get it to work and even called to have it fixed, which is a hassle if you've had it fixed already and your warranty is only good for one time fix. Thanks again. Bernie
- Posted by: bearinthepark at 08 Sep 09:48 permalinkall day ive been looking for a cure, downloads resets the whole lot, YOURS is the ONLY one that works - NICE ONE
- Posted by: a.l.jenkins_2222 at 21 Dec 19:28 permalinkOh my gosh! I've been trying to fix my ipod for weeks -- including hard "taps" on the back, taps on the sides...and some yelling at it in frustration. A 3-inch drop onto the nightstand did the trick though -- amazing how the slightest variation makes a difference. Thanks for the idea!
- Posted by: jonesey95_2691 at 31 Mar 10:21 permalinkHoly crap!! I have a 2nd gen iPod Nano 4 GB. It just paused one day while I was listening to it, and it gave me the sad face. It would not talk to the computer at all.
I tried dropping it a variety of ways. What worked for me was holding it three inches above a wood table, with the iPod lying flat on its back, then dropping it.
I have no idea why this would work, since the darn thing doesn't have a hard drive inside it, just a flash drive, which has no moving parts. All I can tell you is that it worked. Amazing.
- Posted by: sherri.dav_7014 at 05 Mar 09:20 permalinkf*ckin a. i've been trying to get this thing to work for what seems like forever. they should have this in the instruction manual.. just drop the damn thing and its good as new.
- Posted by: bushido1586_4964 at 14 May 23:41 permalinkOMFG! thanks Ray!! stuff trying to go through a long and annoying process. i did as you said, tapped it with the base of my hand on all sides a couple of times, and low and behold it worked! the apple icon came up as before but this time it lit up as well! now it's back to normal, thanks again, trust a user to find a quick easy and simple solution to the problem!
- Posted by: trand79_3446 at 17 Nov 09:34 permalinkI had a sad face on my I-Pod for months and thought maybe I needed a battery. Was about to get one, when I searched for what the sad face means. I came across these posts and thought I would try. I tried the disk mode directions with no avail and then decided I would tap it hard with my hand on several sides (I was a little concerned about dropping it). I taped the back, then the two sides, then the back again. Mid-tap it sprang to life in my hands. It is like the Heimlich Maneuver for your I Pod. Thank you for sharing!
- Posted by: jasonmitton_3273 at 21 May 02:49 permalinkif this all fails slam ipod on kitchen worktop, works every time.
- Posted by: cheezorg_9004 at 13 Jun 18:36 permalinkAgreed on the slam technique. I get the sad face occasionally. It won't show up in iTunes or in the Mac finder. Or, another problem - the "browser" freezes and when you put it to your ear there is a clicking noise inside.
A nice slam on the counter fixes either problem. Plus, if all else has failed your only other option is to send it to Apple and pay a service fee, so when you've reached the "slamming point" there's nothing to lose.
- Posted by: benderorders_2243 at 22 Jun 18:36 permalinkThank you, thank you, thank you. I figured my 40GB ipod was dead, when I got the "sad ipod" combined with that clicking noise. I found this site and your comments after a quick google search... and after a 3 inch drop in the kitchen counter, now I'm back in business. You're the best!!!
- Posted by: peggywarfield_3896 at 14 Mar 15:42 permalinkJust about to throw away my daughter's ipod that's been sitting in the drawer & read your posts. Tapped and banged on desk for about 10 min. & still got the sad face. Was just about to give up and it starts working! Hang in there for a while, it really does work. Thank you. Thank you!
- Posted by: Ray the Freak at 25 Jun 06:37 permalinkThanks Guys!!! Glad I could help.... It happened to me a couple of times and I can't tell you guys how frustated I was. This "tap" trick really worked and till date I have no problems whatsoever..!
- Posted by: fatal.imagination_6862 at 19 Nov 11:08 permalinkmy ipod has recently stopped working.
and everything i do it does not work. I have tried to restart it and then i tried to hook it up to my computer but my computer is not accepting the ipod and not recognizing that it is there and plugged in.
and when i hook it up to the computer the screen lights up and a picture of a ipod with a sad face and exclimation mark comes up.
and now it will not work .
is there anything that i can do to fix my ipod?
please answer back - Posted by: jwright058_1408 at 12 Mar 23:16 permalinkI have a 20G that gave me the face of death. Push all the buttons, in the correct order a dozen times, nothing. Found a posting that read after the Apple Icon appears and then the sad face. Site tells you to drop it on a hard surface from about 10 cm. Well, I did not do the conversion to inches, I held the IPod a few iches off the deck and dropped it. Nothing. Again, Nothing. Well, I am thinking it Tango Uniform. Let me put a little extra inch or more and help the pull of the earth, slam. Wow, its working. Reset the little monster and then went to the Apple site and did the updates. If you have done all others things, it might be time to use a little force. jwright058
- It friggin' works...
I found a 4th Gen iPod in the trash the other day and decided to take it home. I plugged it in for a while let it charge and turned it on... apple.... Folder warning icon... Dang it! Well maybe I can fix it.
I tried every other thing... programs, button pressin', switch flipin' all in proper order I even perfomed a preliminary autopsy where everything seemed in place... nothin'.
After reading the comments here I spiked the iPod on the kitchen lenolium and expecting the worst I press the select button and IT WORKS! - Posted by: ntar269_4453 at 25 Mar 16:38 permalinkI have a 5th generation 60G ipod and JUST updated my software, next day the sad face with the clicking happened. I was told to give up on the ipod cause it was 3 years old, but the love taps to the ipod worked. As scary as it was to smack my ipod around and drop it, it totally worked. DEFINITELY try this before you give up all hope.
- Posted by: jakejeffries_1403 at 31 Mar 14:45 permalinkWell, my story is no different. Sad face, clicking sound, tried a bunch of crap and nothing. I read this thread and drop the thing from about three feet and presto! Fully functional!!! Remarkable!
- Posted by: turnsie_2192 at 07 Aug 11:09 permalinkAwesome - really sceptical about this method, but can only echo what everyone else has said - got an old MK2 Ipod showing the sad face, tried everything else and no joy. Dropped the thing from about 3-4 inchs a couple of times (once back, then side, then otherside and finally on the back again for good measure) and hell, if it didn't start working !
Cheers guys for the technique !
- Posted by: haggertyrd_2226 at 03 May 21:49 permalinkBanging or drooping your video iPod onto a table or the floor might or might not dislodge a stuck video iPod's hard drive, but it almost certain to crack the LCD video screen. Then you can pay to repair both or just go out and buy a new iPod.
- Posted by: hotcouturenyc_6304 at 21 Feb 20:29 permalinkcan any tell me how i can actually make my ipod get teh sad face on purpose? Im tired of having thi 4th gen Ipod under warranty I want one of the new ones...any ideas?
- Posted by: hotcouturenyc_6304 at 21 Feb 20:31 permalinkSorry, didnt realize all the typos in my message. Basically I wanna have my ipod crash....how can I do that on my 80g ipod video?
- Posted by: brambleisabunny_4455 at 13 Apr 11:29 permalinkMy 4GB 1st generation iPod has given me the sad face icon today. I've tried dropping it and banging it but I think it's a total gonna. It's been freezing on me too over the last few months, perhaps a warning something was wrong, now it's gone to iPod heaven.
Thanks for the tips, unfortunatley it didn't work on this old bugger and it looks like I need to invest in a new one. - Posted by: brambleisabunny_4455 at 15 Apr 12:10 permalinkGood news...after leaving it two days and dropping it on the kitchen floor it now works, for how long who knows. Thanks for the help.
- Posted by: abcde12345 at 17 May 16:54 permalinkMental... Pretty much echoing what everyone else has said.
It's been dead for about 2 months and tonight decided I'll try and find out what this icon means so I can buy the replacement part and fix it, but stumbled across this page. Smacked it around a few times, nothing.
Then I thought, as I couldn't find information about what this Icon meant had broken, that I may as well throw it away... so I smacked it really hard on the base of my hand on the back of the ipod and the sides, on the top & the bottom... still nothing. Then I reset it and low and f*cking behold the thing turns on and is working perfectly???!!!
How long it works for is a mystery I expect I'll have to buy a new one eventually as it's getting on for 4 years old! Still, working OK now!
