iPod click fizz

March 13, 2009 4:05 AM

My ipod has started making an audible noise whenever it accesses its hard drive, but it still seems to play fine. Is this a bad sign?

The cable I use to plug in my ipod to my computer isn't very good. It often has a hard time connecting, which seems to depend on its precise position. However, once it's in, if I don't touch the ipod or cable, all is usually well.

The other day though, while playing some music off of the ipod on my laptop, it suddenly disconnected mid-song. Since then, whenever the ipod seems to be accessing its hard drive (i.e. when loading the images for album covers, track names, or beginning to play) it makes an audible hard drive noise which it has never made prior to this point.

It seems to play fine though, and it hasn't done anything else odd. I haven't been using it as much though, since I don't really know if this is the beginning of the end or not.

It's an ipod classic, 80gig model. Bought it off of a friend (with the somewhat defunct cable, unfortunately), so I doubt it has any form of applecare going for it. It is also worth noting that there isn't an apple store in town, though I can get to one in an hour or two by train.

Will it be toast? Is it fine?

posted by vernondalhart to technology (6 comments total)

My old (4Gen) iPod used to make the same noise and if it's the only thing that's happening then you shouldn't let it bother you. My problem was that this was coupled with a failure of the unit to 'wake up' from sleep without a reset and some other problems but if this isn't happening to you then my guess is that the two weren't directly related.

For the record, my iPod never died, and after 3/4 years it still works just fine.
posted by SamuelBowman at 4:49 AM on March 13

My old 4G iPod made exactly those same noises for a long time, and played just fine...and then, eventually, died. Disc failure.

When you hold it in your hand, can you actually feel the disc doing its thing when it makes the noises? I hated that. After awhile, using it was more like being on a deathwatch...I knew it was going to die...it was just a question of when.
posted by Thorzdad at 5:04 AM on March 13

It *may* be fine. If it starts causing noticeable issues with the playback and use of the device, a simple reset or a restore of the item might fix it. I would certainly call 1800-273-2273 to find out if the iPod is still in warranty.
posted by David Fleming at 5:41 AM on March 13

I'm in the UK, and it was bought in Canada, which may cause warranty issues to be even more complicated.
posted by vernondalhart at 6:01 AM on March 13

No need to call anyone, you can check the warranty online here

You'll get the serial number in iTunes from the Summary tab after clicking on your iPod in the iTunes sidebar.

On the actual chance of failure: my old 15GB iPod had the same issue, it kept working just fine until the battery died and I got a newer model, so you might be lucky, too.
posted by starzero at 6:10 AM on March 13

Also had this issue for a while before it died. Good news is you can buy a new (or used) hard drive and replace it yourself. [See: http://joshhighland.com/blog/2005/12/24/replacing-the-hardrive-of-an-ipod/. Older model, same idea.]

Bad news is, hard drives aren't built for the bouncing around that they tend to do in your pockets and so they eventually die. You might be better off buying a flash memory model, like the Touch. Less capacity but longer life. Refurbished models off the Apple store are always good buys.
posted by multiphrenic at 6:58 AM on March 13