July 22, 2005 12:35 AM PDT

iPod Special Report: Sudden, Unexpected Resets

by CNET staff

Font size
Print
E-mail
Share
1 comment

Some iPods reset sporadically when attempting to play some tracks.

In a typical scenario, the user is listening to iPod-generated music when it suddenly stops. Users often think the batteries have expired. Then the iPod resets itself, displaying the familiar black Apple logo, and users can return to the track they were previously playing.

Some users are apparently being told, by Apple technical support, that this is "normal" behavior with physically active or heavy (often) iPod use.

To be clear, the specific behavior we're investigating is different from resets when jogging/running/etc., which appear to be fairly common. (As a side note, although Apple claims that this behavior is to be expected during active use, a number of readers have expressed frustration with such assertions, considering that Apple markets the iPod as a player for "active" users, even touting the ability to jog/exercise during use.)

MacFixIt reader Doug writes "I've been experiencing similar issues, although in my case, it happens only when I'm hiking or being active with it and I don't get an apple usually, it just freezes up and I have to reboot myself. I called the local apple help line this morning and they simply said that it was normal for the iPod to freeze-up or skip when being used "actively". A friend of mine (who is an older, wiser Mac user) found that statement to be outrageous and thinks I should try to push the issue on some level. So there it is. My iPod, by the way, is just about two weeks old and this has been a recurrent issue for me since I first purchased it."

Another reader adds:

"I was in my car listening to music when it suddenly stopped. I thought the battery had run out but it had been fully charged the night before. After looking i saw the black Apple logo and waited for it to reboot and everything was fine. That's the only time it's happened and i hope it's the last. Also, scrolling through menus at a consistant speed is interrupted by the lack of input by the click wheel after it wakes up. It generally becomes fine after a few seconds, but still strange."

Erase and Restore sometimes helpful Some users have reported that "restoring" and iPod, as explained in Apple Knowledge Base article #60983, reduces the occurrence of the unexpected reset issue.

Note that performing a "restore" process erases the hard disk and restores iPod to its original factory condition, so make sure to back up your songs and files first.

Index