iPOD Repair: Changing the hard drive and battery

My stepson's 30GB iPOD video bit the dust a couple of weeks ago. First the hard drive started making a clicking noise and then it failed to synch up with iTunes. I knew right away the hard drive was dying and none of the "reset" or "software reload" solutions had any effect on it.

So I decided to see if it was possible to fix it instead of trashing it. It initially seemed an intimidating prospect. After all their cases are smooth and sealed without a screw or hatch anywhere.

I'd read about the website rapidrepair.com so decided to check there first. They sell replacement parts as well as do the services themselves. They're probably the best recourse for someone a little to cautious to attempt it themselves. I've never been that sensible however.

After finding out the hard drive details (it's actually a Toshiba Model MK3008GAL) I searched the web for sources. Most of the places I found sell them for over $100. I bid on a few on ebay but kept losing out. Eventually I decided to buy one direct from an ebay retailer who specialized in new replacement parts. I got a battery and a set of case-cracking tools from another ebayer at the same time.

The parts arrived and last Saturday morning my stepson and I sat down to change them out.

The case opening tools are basically two plastic levers with sharp, flat, ends. You work them into the sides of the case and pry gently, them work them around the perimeter until the aluminum back separates from the plastic front. The iPOD then opens like a clamshell. You have to be very carefuly and go slowly because the hard drive will fall out and the ribbon cable connecting it to the motherboard is very delicate. There are two other cables connecting the slider switch and battery from the back to the motherboard.

I opened up the connector on the motherboard that holds the ribbon cable to the hard drive. Then the whole drive came free. We transferred the cable and blue styrofoam and plastic edge covers from the old to new drive. Next we inserted the cable back into the board connector and clicked the connector closed.

The battery replacement was a little easier since the new battery came with a connector cable. Basically we just unplugged the old, plugged in the new, and glued the new one to the case where the old one was.

Working gently, we made sure everything was in place and put the case back together. It snapped together securely and we were off to see if it worked.

We hooked it up to iTunes which prompted us to do a restore and software update. Both worked with no problems and my stepson was able to reload his library. After letting it charge for 4 hours or so he took it on an overnight trip. The next day he reported that it worked perfectly and the battery life was like a new one! Mission accomplished.

Next I'll try and buff out the scratches from his display. Apparently there is a product called "Applesauce" available for $20 from rapidrepair. However, those who know me know that I'll look for a cheaper solution!