We all have or know of someone who has an iPod with a dead hard drive. Of course you can simply buy another drive but you're back to the same power-hungry, failure-prone, fragile rotating media. Instead, upgrade your iPod to use Flash Memory. Sure a hard drive can hold all 30,000 of your songs, but even a 4GB card can hold over 24 hours of music - I usually change out songs often enough that I don't need to carry 20+ Gig of songs at all times.
Before you comment, I know there are a few people out there who have already done the upgrade. I don't claim to be the first to do this but I am the first to write an instructable for it (I think).
You can also check out my new Bluetooth 5G iPod Video at iPodHackers.net
Let's get started!
NOTE: If you're looking for my instructable on how to add Internal Bluetooth capability to your iPod, click here
Before you comment, I know there are a few people out there who have already done the upgrade. I don't claim to be the first to do this but I am the first to write an instructable for it (I think).
You can also check out my new Bluetooth 5G iPod Video at iPodHackers.net
Let's get started!
NOTE: If you're looking for my instructable on how to add Internal Bluetooth capability to your iPod, click here
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Signing UpStep 1: What You Need
1) Unlike my other instructable where I showed How Do Upgrade Your iPod Mini With Flash Memory, you cannot simply replace the hard drive with a flash card. The 1.8" drive and CF interfaces are similar but you will need an adapter to bridge the interface from the card to the HD connector on the iPod.
I purchased the adapter for under $15 from an Asian vendor on eBay. It is not pretty but it works.
2) You will also need some cardboard and some hot melt glue or double sided foam tape.
3) iPod-Opening tools (non-marking plastic tools and/or flathead screwdriver.
5) Your iPod wall charger unit
5) Of course, you will need a fully ATA-Compliant Compact Flash card. Any size will work, but you can now get 8GB cards for under $70 as of this writing. I've had good luck with Transcend and Sandisk. Check the specs, not all cards will work.
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I bought the zif/1.8" to CF adapter from DealExtreme like most others here mentioned and bought a CF to MicroSD from Amazon for $17 shipped since I already had a few 8GB microSD cards sitting around not in use and CF is way to expensive for my taste. Since I already had the 8GB microSD card on hand, it only cost me $22 with shipping to get my old faithful up and running again!
I have an iPhone, Droid and 16GB 6th Gen iPod Nano but still can't help but try and breath life back into old gadgets that otherwise perform as desired.
I didn't see this site or post until after I had all the parts in hand and was trying to figure out if I should cut off the plastic piece on the iPod side of the cable or not but just wanted to share my experience with others in case it can be of any help.
Cool site btw.
I tried with the el-cheapo Deal Extreme 1.8 IDE to CF adapter, a 128 MB CF card that I had lying around, as well as with a CF-to-SD
adapter and an 8 GB SD card.
In both cases, iTunes tried but was unable to initialize the iPod, Disk Utility saw the iPod as an "Apple Computer" device but when I tried to initialize it I got an "out of memory" error (have seen similar errors when you use Disk Utility with an external drive whose I/O hardware is not supported). I tried partitioning the SD card via an SD reader and pre-installing the firmware from the iPod's original drive, but again, no luck.
I can always get the iPod into diagnostic and then disk mode, but otherwise the iPod always boots to a screen telling me to call Apple Support.
Any ideas what to try next? I am reluctant to invest in a 16 or 32 GB CF card if this isn't going to work.
Have you tried other brands?
I have completed the conversion as instructed but have a problem. iPod is model A1059, board is 820-1723A and I've used a Transcend 32GB 133x CF. All went well and I was able to restore the iPod. After the initial restore it said to plug the iPod to the power source. I did that and the restore completed. But when I connect the iPod back to my Windows 7 laptop computer, iTunes does not recognize it. Windows sees it as iPod formatted as FAT32 but cannot access it. Under properties it is shown as disk completely full with no data. I haven't been able to get iTunes or Windows to read it. The iPod says that it is formatted for Windows and has 29.7 GB available. When I take the CF and use a card reader the CF is accessible in Windows and that there is 29.7GB available. I also cannot get the iPod into disk mode or diagnostic mode. It just restarts and goes to the main menu.
Is there a way to do a forced restore?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I was having the same issues you are having. I have the same ipod model and I'm using the same CF card. I have found a work-around in order to load your music from itunes and keep it from freezing.
-You have to enable Disk Mode in order to load music without any issues
1. Before placing the iPod into Disk Mode, verify that it is charged.
2. Toggle the Hold switch on and off (set it to Hold, then turn it off again.)
3. Press and hold the Menu and Select buttons for at least six seconds, until the Apple logo appears.
4 .When the Apple logo appears, release the Menu and Select buttons and immediately press and hold the Select and the Play/Pause buttons until the Disk Mode screen appears.
5. Connect your ipod to your computer and it should be immediatly recognized.
6. Transfer your music
7. Once done, disconnect your ipod from your computer
8. Press and hold the Menu and Select buttons for at least six seconds, until the Apple logo appears, in order to reset the device and get out of disk mode.
That should be it.
What I messed up the first time round when I read your comment was step #4. For future readers, be sure to press BOTH the Select and the Play/Pause buttons.
I'm cookin' with 32GB of listening materials on a 4Gen IPOD.
K
As I stated in my post I couldn't get the iPod into disk mode but because of your post I kept trying to get it into disk mode. I found that I must switch to the Select-Play/Pause combo immediately after the Apple logo appears, considerably less than the "at least six seconds" that Apple instructs. Maybe it's the difference between the CF and HDD.
Thanks again.
Very nice instructable you have here!
I tried this with my Ipod 4 gen 20GB yesterday. But I have a problem. I bought the Delock Converter and a Hama 16GB CF Card. Everything fitted fine. But my IPod only shows the Apple symbol. Nothing else happens. I can't do anything.
The IPod isn't displayed on my Mac Desktop or in iTunes. I also don't see it in the Disk Utility.
Can anyone help me please?
Everything work fine, but there are two problems.
1. When i select a music to play, the first 1-3 seconds i can hear noise from my headphone.
2. After i plug my iPod into my Desktop, the battery level will become lower!!!!
Anyone have same situations ??????
- I haven't noticed any odd battery behaviour except it doesn't last long, however it's 8 years old and heavily used. I'm buying a new one.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/270786532898?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
And a Transcend 133x 32GB CF card bought here:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/320457602643?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
Thanks very much for the instructions and help, great stuff!
I just put it in and connected to the computer. Surprisingly iTunes was fine with it right of the bat so I tried putting a few songs on. It came formatted exFat which seemed to be working. Soon, though, it started acting flaky. Couldn't finish copying, then iTunes wanted to do it's initialization (I forget the exact word). Pretty soon, nothing, Won't even eject. Now I take it back out of the iPod and put it in my card reader, and OSX says it's a 35MB drive (not 64GB!) and I can't do anything to it. Try to format with Disk Utility and it starts off looking good, saying 1 minute. Then the progress bar goes half way and stops, and the time starts going up.
Ok, so I'm just wondering where my problem is. Is 64GB too big for this card? Do I have a bad ($120 from eBay) card, is it the adapter? Any advice appreciated, thanks.
Just seen your post. Hope you have sorted your problem, but if not have a read of mine and hopefully all will be sorted. get back if not. Cheers!!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001OTUPQA
And got the converter from this seller:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/260420488972?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
The changeover is easy, but as I can see from bengriggs comments, there has been some confusion regarding the number of pins. My converter had 6 extra 'holes' but it was clearly labelled which one was Pin 1. See Voraz's photo and all will become clear.
There were some other issues with getting the iPod to recognise the new drive. Off my own back, I plugged in the iPod to the 'puter and waited for the 'Mass Storage Device' to become ready. Any time iTunes popped up, I ignored it and shut it down. From 'My Computer' I right-clicked the new drive, selected 'Format' and carried out a FULL format. I then disconneted the device from the computer via the USB icon in the bottom right corner.
I then opened iTunes, paused, then reconnected the iPod. iTunes then recognised it as an iPod but stated it needed a 'Restore'. Selected 'Restore' button, then when it told me, transferred to external power supply where the iPod carried on the restore. Next thin you know, the language selection came up and all was done! Happy days.
All I've got to do now is pad it out and secure it........think I might even treat myself to a1200mAH battery from eBay.......It'll last f***ing ages then!!! :D
All this for less than £45!! Gotta be worth it!!
Since I was trying to get it to work all evening with a CN memory 4GB CF card I suddenly held the flat ribbon cable (the hard drive connector) in my hands. Testwise put the old - supposed to be dead - Toshiba harddrive - and it just works again!
So this might be worth a look. Obviously the ribbon cable can slide out of the mainboard connector without being noticed after disassembly. And it is not too easy to put back in. I taped it with a sticky carpet tape in order to prevent this. Good luck to all the dead electronics reanimators!
I went on-line and ordered a new battery, a 1 1/8" ZIFF to compact flash adapter and a CF card. I found a 32 Gb Transcend CF on sale for $34, an adapter for $6 and the battery for $9. Total: $49.
I eventually found a guide to open the case at ifixit.com. Opening the case without marring it turned out to be the most challenging part of the refurb. After four or five attempts, I got it opened. I didn't like the cardboard spacer so I used a piece of an old mouse pad, which worked great.
The actual installation of the components took no more than 20-30 minutes and I now have a like new iPod 4Gen that has an additional 12 Gb of storage and has lasted nearly 20 hours on a single charge.
I plan on using this thing for another 7 years.
REPAIRING IS THE BEST WAY TO RECYCLE!
1x 64gb Trandsend CF card (got it from a friend he only had one) $120
1x 1.8" to CF adapter from Amazon (wanted to get it quick) $10
1x piece of slim cardboard
1x set of ipod tools (got them with the battery) $10
I got all my parts from http://www.idemigods.com
I also replaced the battery at the same time, not to hard all you need is a new battery, a T6 driver, and a steady hand. Thanks again for all the info.
Not sure if some others having problems, but just like the author, fstedie, my 4g iPod is rev #820-1535-A. I didn't have to perform any other steps with respect for creating the boot sectors or anything like that.
Just thought I'd instill some hope :)
I ran a test with a full battery and it increased my battery life by about 40%. So my Ipod used to get about 3.5 to 4 hours out of a charge and last night it got about 5 to 5.5 hours. This is with lots of pausing and changing of podcasts ect. I am sure I would have gotten at least 6 hours if I had just put it on music and let it run without all of the back light usage.
Thanks for a great Instructable.
Hey if this was helpful view my profile and give me a patch if you want.
Have fun with the project.
it is not the best quality, but it works.
It was one of the top results when I did the quote you had into Google. I have the first iPod that was ever created with a color screen and I am looking at repairing it for my dad.
I always new it was a good idea to hold on to dead electronics!