5 Comments

The iPod’s Diagnostic Mode

March 23, 2006 by in Random with 5 Comments

Hey all you Pod fans its time for DIY iPod repair (or at least diagnosis):

From The Method Shop:

If you have tried trouble shooting your iPod to no avail, chances are your iPod has a hardware problem. The iPod’s built-in Diagnostic Mode is a quick and easy way to determine if you have a “bad” iPod.

1. You need to restart your iPod before putting it into Diagnostic Mode. Check that your hold switch is off by sliding the switch away from the headphone jack. Toggle it on and off to be safe.

2. Press and hold the following combination of buttons buttons simultaneously for approximately 10 seconds to reset the iPod.

* iPod 1G to 3G: “Menu” and “Play/Pause”
* iPod 4G+ (includes Photo, Nano, Video, and Mini): “Menu” and “Select”

3. The Apple logo will appear and you should feel the hard drive spinning up. Press and hold the following sequence of buttons:

o iPod 1G to 3G: “REW”, “FFW” and “Select”
o iPod 4G+ (includes Photo, Nano, Video, and Mini): “Back” and “Select”

You will hear an audible chirp sound (3G models and higher) and the Apple logo should appear backwards. You are now in Diagnostic Mode.

4. Navigate the list of tests using “REW” and “FFW”. The scroll wheel will not function while in diagnostic mode.


  • Rodney

    Scroll wheel does function on 4G photo and higher.

  • Ian

    Sweet, I’ll add this to my list of tricks when students come up to me asking to fix their iPods.

  • matt

    I have a 5G ipod. It says to hold the MENU + SELECT button to restart the ipod. then hold the BACK + SELECT button. What is difference between the MENU and BACK buttons? I’ve tried the instructions and my ipod just keeps restarting when I push the BACK + SELECT, after the apple logo has appeared. o well

  • Paul

    @Matt
    You have to keep trying and follow what it says carefully, as press menu then select and hold the same with back(aka rewind) and select. Do it in order. Mine was the same, but a few trys later.

  • Brian

    I have a 5th gen iPod (30GB). I think I may have a disk problem and I want to do a HDscan using the diags. I only have two options, HDSpecs & HDSMARTData. Do I need to do something special to get the HDScan option?

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