Stories about iPod repairs, how to fix iPods, iPod repair service in Olympia, Washington, iPod repair service in Santa Rosa, California, iPod repair service in Los Gatos, California - Recent Fixes - i Sick Bay

has sent me his iPods to repair. In early January 2009 the LCD on his ATT Tilt phone (which is really an HTC 8925). His smart phone is cardinal to his consulting business so he got ahold of me to arrange to get it fixed. I charge $60 to repair a phone plus parts. The $60 fee is because it has pricey enough as a phone for you to invest in its repair instead of replacement *and* each time I work on a phone I have to learn everything about since everyone that arrives is new and unique.

His LCD would only show the backlight on, all white no data painting. I took it apart, which was a task since this has a slide keyboard that also tilts (hence name). With the LCD replaced the device worked perfectly again and the Windows CE operating system was running and displaying.

The LCD was $35 and labor/return shipping was $60

Fixed - Total cost $95.

Andy Parsons lives here Santa Rosa

and works for Sonoma County as a fire inspector. His son Will has a 6th Gen 80GB video iPod and without notice the scroll wheel stopped working. This is the third time I have had someone ask me for this repair. In the 5th Gen video iPods just 2 out of 300 I was asked for a scroll wheel replacement did it make a difference. In the other 298 cases it was water exposure.

The 5th Gen scroll wheel had a ground (earthing) strap as part of it that seemed to keep the scroll wheel working for the life of the device. Apple stripped that aspect off the 6th Gen and as a result the application specific integrated circuit on the ribbon connection seems to be getting zapped to death. That ASIC on the ribbon connection is responsible for interpreting the scroll wheel movement and the button pressing response.

I replaced the scroll wheel and it worked again. The photo shows that I've moved into deep levels of the menu using the scroll wheel and button presses.

The detail shots show the scroll wheel part and the ASIC. This problem will cost Apple a fortune in warranty returns.

Nicole Hunter called me from Los Gatos, California

where she has a dog boarding and grooming business called "Puppy Love Dog Care". She had bought used from a teenage boy a 5th Generation video iPod that she sent me. She had a list of things she wanted me to do. Among them were resurrect her hard drive to perform what I call a "data extraction and file park". This is a task I do on request that involves getting the music off the hard drive and placing it on the drive in a way that allows the owner to add them back to their (frequently destroyed because they rely on Windows) iTunes Library again.

After I got the files off of her drive, I went through the list of things she wanted done to her iPod and when I got done I tested everything. Then I discovered there was no sound coming from either ear and knew why the kid sold it. The iPod she bought had a de-laminated logic board. Read more about it.

The cost of the logic board and drive plus labor would far exceed the value of the device when fixed, not to mention she paid something for it before sending it to me.

I called her and explained the situation and then followed up with an email that read, "Nicole,

Here is the article about your problem: http://www.isickbay.com/call--1-877-476-3776/logic_delamination.shtml

Here is how to buy a replacement: http://www.isickbay.com/call--1-877-476-3776/how_to_buy_new.shtml

Here is where to buy the replacement: http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/ipod/ipod_classic

I've attached the instructions on how to add the extracted songs back to your iTunes Library for when you get it back

Frank"

She will still get her files, and that will cost $40 but I refunded the remaining $70 she sent so she has money to buy a new one. She will get a warranty and as a first time iPod user, Apple will help her as needed for the first 30 days.

Notice how little drive space there is on her drive, that is because her files are on the drive with the iPod being used as an external hard drive to transport them back to her.

I'm in Sonoma County... Northern California wine country.

If you live nearby, are traveling through or live in the San Francisco Bay Area bring your iPod to me and I can do the work while you wait or go wine tasting for a while. Send me an email just to make sure I have on hand whatever parts your repair will require.

Call or email me with questions or to set up a repair. You can also call, I am here most days from 8am to 8pm
Toll Free 1-877-476-3776 (1 - 877 - 476-3776)

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