Stories about iPod repairs, how to fix iPods, iPod repair service in Middletown, California, iPod repair service in Sonoma County, California, iPod repair service in Shawnee Mission, Kansas - Recent Fixes - i Sick Bay

and was prepared to make the drive over the hill to bring it to me. He went onto describe the problem he was having and I got immediately it was a failed hard drive. He made the call on Monday and really wanted it back working by Friday because he had long drive that day. We arrived at him sending it in and I would (in my typical fashion) get it done and sent back to him the same day.

It arrived two days later on Wednesday. I shipped it back with a new battery and replacement drive that afternoon. He received it on Thursday so he was good to go on Friday morning. The drive was $60, the battery was $19 and labor/return shipping was $40. We had another smiling face in the iPod community.

Fixed - Total cost $119.

"Michael J Ellis is a noted naturalist who lives and works in Sonoma County."

I used to hear that on KQED 88.5 FM for years. Michael still does his on air "Perspective" pieces but now he lives and works in Santa Rosa. He has been doing the on air pieces since 1988. He called to discuss the fact that fell while riding his bike and his 5th Generation 60GB video iPod wouldn't work any more. We went through the analysis, it was his drive.

He brought it by and used my "emergency patient admittance system", (putting it in a padded mailer and dropping it through my letter drop slot) since I knew I wouldn't be here at the time. During a several day period I was repaying a favor and helping a friend to frame and construct a new work shop/wine making/storage facility. I got Michael's iPod finished overnight when I got back from the construction work and he came by the next day.

The drive was $60 and labor was $40. He took it with him to South America a day later.

Fixed - Total cost $100.

This one is a little different. On a Friday in May, I received in the mail a 4th Generation 60GB Photo iPod

from Ray Redlingshafer who lives in Shawnee Mission, Kansas. This case is unusual because he never called me. Almost every iPod that arrives here, is the result of a conversation on the phone. People want to know that I really exist and the website, folksy and elaborate as it is... isn't a scam.

So people call so they can be reassured they are not sending a fairly pricey piece of equipment and payment and also paying for the shipping to get what might be a gift to me.

As I said, Ray and I hadn't spoke. He had surmised he had a drive failure and printed out my hard drive web page, then on the back in red pen wrote,

"Dear Frank,

Help! iPod won't work. Please send me a PayPal request and will pay. A big request... I desperately need the music on the iPod saved. Also please fix the iPod. Most of the music was on a laptop that was destroyed. Help!

Thank You,

Ray"

I was able to get his iPod working again. It needed a replacement battery. I was able to perform a data extraction and get all the songs off the drive. I put a complete set back on the hard drive and emailed to him instructions on how he to add them to his new iTunes Library (and anyone else's system that he may have wanted to gift the songs to).

The battery was $16 and labor with return shipping and the data extraction was just $40

Fixed - Total cost $56.

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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