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iPod iPod Nano 1st Generation click wheel unresponsive.

TheRealShrek

TheRealShrek

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 10, 2022
4
0
Maryland, USA
Recently found my iPod Nano 1st generation (4gb model). Software does not register clicks. The reset thing works, so I'm moderately confident it's not a hardware problem. I have disassembled the iPod (that was hell 😓) and reconnected all cables. I have also tried installing RockBox, to no avail. Any other solutions to get this thing up and running again? I would love to use it.
 
TheRealShrek said:
Recently found my iPod Nano 1st generation (4gb model). Software does not register clicks. The reset thing works, so I'm moderately confident it's not a hardware problem. I have disassembled the iPod (that was hell 😓) and reconnected all cables. I have also tried installing RockBox, to no avail. Any other solutions to get this thing up and running again? I would love to use it.
Click to expand...
What software is it that's not registering clicks? Do you mean the iPod doesn't respond to clicking the clickwheel? And what "reset thing?" Do you mean that you can reboot the iPod by holding the center and menu buttons?

I would suggest first restoring the iPod using iTunes or Finder. Then (if your 1st gen is like my 2nd gen) you can run the onboard diagnostics. To get to the diagnostics, first simultaneously hold the center and top (menu) buttons until you see the Apple logo appear in the display, then immediately hold the center and left (rewind) buttons until the diagnostics menu appears. Navigate the menu using the left (rewind) and right (forward) buttons. Select menu entries using the center button. Of course, if the clickwheel is bad you may not be able to navigate the diagnostics menu, but, if you can, one of the tests is for the clickwheel. To leave diagnostics mode, reboot by holding the center and top (menu) buttons until the Apple logo appears.

Some iPods (like my 4th gen Photo) can't directly get into diagnostics mode, and you have to first put the iPod into disk mode. To get into disk mode, first hold the center and top (menu) buttons until the Apple logo appears, then immediately hold the center and bottom (play/pause) buttons until you see the disk mode indicator in the display. Then you can try to get into diagnostics mode as described above.
 
Grumpus said:
What software is it that's not registering clicks? Do you mean the iPod doesn't respond to clicking the clickwheel? And what "reset thing?" Do you mean that you can reboot the iPod by holding the center and menu buttons?

I would suggest first restoring the iPod using iTunes or Finder. Then (if your 1st gen is like my 2nd gen) you can run the onboard diagnostics. To get to the diagnostics, first simultaneously hold the center and top (menu) buttons until you see the Apple logo appear in the display, then immediately hold the center and left (rewind) buttons until the diagnostics menu appears. Navigate the menu using the left (rewind) and right (forward) buttons. Select menu entries using the center button. Of course, if the clickwheel is bad you may not be able to navigate the diagnostics menu, but, if you can, one of the tests is for the clickwheel. To leave diagnostics mode, reboot by holding the center and top (menu) buttons until the Apple logo appears.

Some iPods (like my 4th gen Photo) can't directly get into diagnostics mode, and you have to first put the iPod into disk mode. To get into disk mode, first hold the center and top (menu) buttons until the Apple logo appears, then immediately hold the center and bottom (play/pause) buttons until you see the disk mode indicator in the display. Then you can try to get into diagnostics mode as described above.
Click to expand...
The iPod doesn't respond to the click wheel in both RockBox and the stock firmware. I can reset it using the center and menu buttons. I have also tried restoring it using iTunes, 2 or 3 times. I will try diagnostics mode to see if that works. Will update soon.

Update: When trying to open diagnostics mode, it boots as normal to the setup screen.
 
TheRealShrek said:
Update: When trying to open diagnostics mode, it boots as normal to the setup screen.
Click to expand...
You might want to try putting it into disk mode (center+top, center+bottom) and then try again to get it into diagnostic mode, but it certainly sounds like a bad clickwheel. IFIXIT or Elite Obsolete Electronics might have a replacement, or you could try a "for parts" 1st gen on eBay. You have to be pretty determined though. If you do decide to attempt a repair, consider putting a new battery in at the same time.
 
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