Q: I have an iPod classic which was bought for me last October. I have recently had a long stay in hospital, and my iPod was left uncharged. The battery now seems completely dead, and the device will neither switch on or charge in the Dock. Is there anything I can do about this? I assumed an iPod would be like a mobile phone regarding the battery.
This was an expensive gift and I would really like to get it working. What should I do?
– Paula
A: While it is possible that the battery has become completely depleted and therefore can no longer be charged (see last week’s column on iPod Batteries for more information), it’s more likely that the iPod battery is simply below the minimum voltage threshold required to power on. The iPod has an internal cut-off circuit to try and prevent you from depleting the battery completely. When it falls significantly below this level, such as when it’s been left unused for a while, it will not power on at all until it has been in the charger for a while.
Generally about ten minutes of charging time should be sufficient to get the iPod to power on, but in some cases you may need to leave it overnight. You may also need to reset the iPod after it’s been in the charger for a while by holding down the CENTRE and MENU buttons for a few seconds until the iPod restarts.
If the iPod still does not power on, even after you have left it charging for a couple of hours and tried to reset it, then it is possible that the battery is dead and you will need to get the battery replaced. This should normally be covered under warranty if you have purchased your iPod in the previous year, so you should contact Apple Support or your local Apple Store for more information in this case.
