How to Restore your iPod
How (and when) to perform an iPod restore
Warning: The iPod restore is a serious step in troubleshooting your iPod and shouldn't be taken lightly. It will completely erase all files from your iPod: no more songs, no more contacts, events, or any saved files will remain once this operation is completed. It is important that you understand when the iPod restore is the proper course of action and when you must perform a complete backup of the contents of the iPod. The restore shouldn't be confused with any other action, like the iPod Reset or a software update. You can reset or update the iPod without erasing files.
- Update: Is simply installing a newer version of the iPod software through your computer. The update may also refer to updating the firmware with a flash that controls the iPod's hard drive
- Reset: iPod Reset only reboots the iPod and is your defense against a software glitch
- Restore: Erases the hard drive and restores all the factory resets after reinstalling the software. This is for a major software failure
When is the restore procedure appropriate?
The iPod restore is your last, but most potent procedure for troubleshooting your iPod. It's the last step in Apple's Five R diagnostic process for troubleshooting the iPod. It's designed to restore the software that makes the iPod work; therefore, conditions under which the iPod restore is appropriate are widely varied. The troubles you may be experiencing can range from persistent quirky behavior to lock ups. If you've already performed the first four steps in the Five Rs, the Restore is your last ditch effort to fix the iPod yourself before sending it off to Apple for repair.
The sad iPod is never a good thing to see. It's heartbreaking just to see an image of a sad iPod. If your iPod gets sad the restore operation is likely what you'll have to do to have any chance of saving it before shipping it off to be repaired. Try the 5 Rs first! It's unlikely, but wouldn't it be a great relief if you could just perform a reset and fix the problem. If the restore doesn't work your iPod has serious problems and needs to be sent back to Apple for fixing.
Battery Power
The iPod restore procedure won't help you if you have a bad battery. The battery will inevitably die someday. Apple rates the battery at 500 charge cycles or two years of use. For more information on stretching out batter life, see our MP3 Player Battery Life article.
Now, lets get to the nitty-gritty instructions for how to perform an iPod restore.