I've had trouble with my iPod almost ever since I got it.
I bought back in 2006 just before my trip to Costa Rica and justified it by saying to myself that I would need a large hard drive to store all the pictures I was taking. This was the first trip I was taking with my digital camera (not counting Samoa) and didn't want to run out of storage. Having music along was just a bonus. Naturally, I never came close to filling up the couple gigs of compact flash that I brought with me. I listened to music some, but since I was traveling with a friend, we spent most of the time talking.
After I got back from the trip, I put the iPod away and didn't use again for months until I discovered podcasts, the perfect invention for someone who loves to listen to the radio, but hates to be a slave to the programming schedule. I was subscribing to dozens of podcasts, mostly NPR stuff, but some ESPN and various other indy casts. I'd take the iPod to the gym and and it would get me through some long workouts.
Then the thing started to crash. And crash and crash and crash. I would be listening to some music or a podcast and the fucking thing would shut down and restart. It would do it again and again and again. Sometimes after 5 minutes, sometimes after 5 seconds. This gets old pretty fast.
When this started, the iPod was still under warranty, and I should have taken it in the Apple store to get a replacement, but in typical Andrew fashion, I procrastinated until that was no longer a possibility.
I tried the system restore, but it didn't work. I tried to update the firmware and the version of iTunes, but it didn't work. I searched online for answers, but all in vain. Not only could I not find the solution. I couldn't even find anyone with the same problem. Seemed hard to believe. When I finally brought it into the Apple store in Emeryville, I waited in line for over an hour only to have them tell me they hadn't seen anything like it. They suggested a system restore. Of course it didn't work.
I know these things are not designed to have a long shelf life, but I think between the humidity in Costa Rica and the cats occasionally knocking it to the floor, I hadn't done it any favors. I was just about to chuck the thing off a cliff when I searched online in more desperate attempt to save this little iPod.
Last night, I found the solution online. I just need to install the iPod Updater and revert the firmware back to earlier version, restore the iPod and everything works fine, more or less. There's a slight problem with the volume control now – it doesn't get loud enough – but at least it doesn't crash every 30 thirty seconds, or at all.
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