iPod NANO- 3G: Technical advice on confirming Click Wheel problem

[telemeister]

THE STORY:
My daughters NANO 3G suffered a major trauma - basically driven over by a vehicle. Although bent out of shape and with a dead screen amazingly it still played music.
I got a replacement LCD and installed it, and had the whole thing working again - still with the back off.
Before reassembling it properly, I removed the front panel / click wheel again and 'gently' eased a dint out of the front panel - just above the click wheel.
Unfortunately when I reinstalled the front panel I now find that the ipod won't turn on, and wont respond to 'reset command' etc etc.
The most obvious conclusion is that I have damaged the click wheel electronics, (or perhaps pushed existing damage over the edge).


QUESTION:

I suspect that I have damaged the click wheel electronics - but need a method of confirming that that is the case - i.e. that the motherboard is still OK.
For example, if I cant 'turn on' the ipod with the click wheel should it still be visible as a USB device when plugged into a PC.
I believe the ipod is charged, and the battery is showing good voltage.
Appreciate any ideas for confirming that it is the click wheel that is dead.

 

[Googlyhead]

Surely the easiest way to check power up is simply to plug in a charger? Every iPod either is already on, boots up, or charges sufficiently to do so, then displaying the battery / charging status.

Obviously, all this is assuming (as you stated above) that the display / battery is working more or less ok.

 

[Brucewl]

I don't want to tear down my iPod nano, maybe the wheel has some problem with the connection of the mainboard.

 

[telemeister]

Thanks for comments guys..

Have clarified situation by hooking up to computer via USB cable rather that firewire. I originally only had firewire and with that the display showed no sign of life on connecting to PC.

However I tried a USB connection and the display comes to life, and the ipod will communicate with the PC. Suggests the motherboard is OK.

Click wheel still totally unresponsive so that does appear to be the problem. Fortunately they are available on ebay.

Thanks for comments.