iPod I don't have an "external power source"!

[mrat93]

I was restoring my friend's iPod and it said "connect to an external power source to complete the process." The only problem is, I don't have an external power source! I have an iHome, but nothing shows up when I dock it there, and I can't use the USB port, because it will give me the Apple logo then "connect to power" logo. It's not recognized in iTunes so I can't restore it. I can't force it in to disk mode either. What should I do?

 

[xfiftyfour]

Do you have an apple store anywhere near you? You might be able to go there and explain and they might be able to quickly plug it in for you. Although, even that I'm not sure about considering the iPods haven't shipped with the extra brick for a long while, so I don't know how readily the Apple stores will have an opened/used one lying around.

Otherwise, you might be making a trip to Best Buy/WalMart/Apple to buy one, unfortunately. I don't know of any work-around. If I were in your shoes, though, I'd buy it from Best Buy or WalMart and then just return it the next day - the big box retailers have a pretty lenient return policy.

 

[lozanoj83]

Just go to a Apple Store,
tell a Rep your problem, hell be more than happy to plug your iPod in to one of their chargers that they have to give it a quick boot.
They have a whole iPod floor with iPods + Chargers, im sure they wouldnt mind sharing one with you

 

[itickings]

I was in the same situation when restoring an iPod for a friend, it requested me to "connect to an external power source to complete the process" and wouldn't accept my USB-based external power source... (USB-sync cable connected to third party power brick).

An old firewire-sync cable from my iPod Mini days saved the day, the iPod accepted my computer's firewire as "external power source".

 

[decksnap]

Are you plugging it into a low-powered USB port? Like the keyboard USB ports? A lot of PCs also ship with half & half low-powered and high-powered ports.

Seems to me a standard high-powered USB port IS an external power source.

 

[Loge]

Are these iPods 3G or earlier? - because these models never did charge via USB either from a port or external block - you had to use Firewire.

 

[aliasbones]

other option

if snyone else finds a solution let me know

 

[pjgeer]

Go buy a $25 wall charger for the ipod and then you have it for charging when not at your/your friends computer. There are many makes out there, Macally, Griffin, etc.

 

[jakdominance]

can't get to a store.

i have the same problem, except i believe the nearest mac store is in Tokyo, a four hour shinkansen ride away, and my language skills here aren't exactly up to par. plus, it seems that NO ONE here has iPods (everything comes from the cell phone) plus, i'm happy with my USB cord and it would be wasteful to buy something else.