“Secrets of the iPod” author and Macworld columnist Christopher Breen has managed to work out how to access various diagnostic modes for the iPod mini after getting his hands on one at MWSF.

” Savvy iPodusers know that you can perform such tasks as resetting the device, throwing it into disk mode, and invoking the hidden diagnostic screen by pressing a combination of the iPod’s buttons.

The iPod mini sports different controls—ones where the Menu, Play, Back, and Forward buttons are on the scroll wheel (the Select button remains in the middle of the wheel). Pressing the wheel in the the four compass directions invokes the command associated with them—Up for Menu, Right for Forward, Down for Play/Pause, and Left for Back. Given that you can’t press multiple buttons at a time, how would one reset the iPod mini or produce the Diagnostic screen?

I decided to find out by visiting the Apple booth and, in the guise of an interested user, pressing every button combination I could. Here’s what I discovered:”